What if fire and water were people? And what if they had a meet-cute in a city filled with other elements? That is what Pixar is exploring with their next summer film “Elemental,” which was introduced at the D23 Expo in Anaheim with “Nancy Drew” star Leah Lewis and “Jurassic World: Dominion” star Mamoudou Athie being introduced in the lead roles.
The “Good Dinosaur” filmmaker said this was a very personal story that began with his Korean immigrant parents, showing a picture of them and the grocery store they opened in the Bronx. “Elemental” is a story that takes that story of immigrants in the big city and puts it in a world where air, water, fire and earth are literal people.
The film follows a fire woman named Ember, played by Lewis, who is struggling with the fact that the city isn’t designed for people like here. Everywhere she goes, she burns the plant residents and can’t touch any of the water elements for risk of being extinguished.
But her life changes when she meets Wade, played by Athie, a “sappy water guy” who wears his heart on his sleeve and helps her discover that they have more in common than they think. In a sneak peek, D23 attendees saw Ember and Wade showing off their talents to each other, using the city’s environment to create a colorful display.
“Elemental” will be released in theaters on June 16, 2023.
